Columns

By Doug Creamer

Final Harvest

            Is it really November? It is getting dark awfully early. While I really enjoy the cooler temperatures of fall and the beautiful leaves, I really don’t like the shorter days. We will get a reprieve from the darkness when everyone gets their Christmas lights up, which will probably be in a couple of weeks. I always feel like the year picks up speed as we hit November. There is always so much to do, but I imagine COVID will put the brakes on that, too.

            The recent cold spell put an end to the gardening season. I need the rest and a chance for the weeds to die back. It’s time to regroup and make plans for next year. I did go out and pick my final harvest. I picked a bowl full of cherry tomatoes that might last until Christmas. We harvested some butter beans and I dug my sweet potatoes. I even picked some late raspberries.

            The big wind from the…how many hurricanes did we get this year? Anyway, the wind blew down some beautiful sunflowers that were growing. I am not sure the seeds were completely formed. They were a nice fall treat this year. The fall corn I had hoped for was stunted, blown down, and what little grew was eaten by the squirrels. We need some hawks to help reduce the surplus of squirrels in our area.

            There were some successes and some letdowns in the garden this year, but that’s normal. Gardening is about getting out there working the soil and hoping for a harvest. Something you grow always tastes better than anything from the store. So I will soon begin dreaming about what I will try to grow next year, but for now, I will enjoy the rest.

            The goal of sowing seed is to receive a harvest. I believe if we all stepped back and looked at the people we know we would discover people who are in various stages of the gardening season. I imagine each of us knows people who have never considered the need for a savior. They lead broken lives and don’t know that there is a God in heaven who loves them. These people need a gardener to sow some seeds of faith in their lives.

            All of us know people who once had a vibrant faith, but the weeds of the world have stunted their growth and threaten to crush their hope. These people need a gardener to pull the weeds of worry, fear, doubt, anger, and disappointment out of their lives. They need someone to come along and water their lives with faith, hope, and love. Sometimes the weeds become so overwhelming that we need help to break free.

            Many people have been cut off due to COVID. They have stopped attending church or even watching their services online. When we become disconnected it is easy to become discouraged. The walk of faith is challenging in the best of times. Losing connection and the opportunity to challenge and encourage each other can cause our spiritual growth to become weak. We have to work if we want to stay connected. I need you and you need me if we are hoping to maintain our faith and grow spiritually.

            Finally, there are people in all our lives who are ready to meet Jesus. They have looked in all the wrong places for the peace they deeply desire. They may have attended church at one point in their lives, but have never made a personal commitment. They need to hear the truth that God loves them unconditionally. They need someone to do the honor of introducing them to Jesus, to let them know they are invited in no matter what they have done.

            I believe that Jesus needs you and me now more than ever to help him work in His garden. There are souls that need to be harvested, hearts that need to be healed, broken lives that need His healing touch, and people who need to hear the good news for the first time. Jesus is dependent upon each of us doing our part to help.

I want to encourage you to open your eyes and see the people in your life that are waiting to hear a word from you. Some need a life preserver, while others may just need a little word of encouragement. Jesus needs you to do your part, especially now in these crazy times we find ourselves living in. We know the power of faith, hope, and love to change lives. Be willing and available to God and I believe you will make a difference in someone’s life this week.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

            I am very blessed to have a number of very good friends. I invest time to build friendships. When my phone rang a few weeks ago and I heard the voice of my best friend’s wife, I knew what she was calling to tell me. I could hear the news in her voice. My best friend had passed away.

            Twenty-four years ago, I changed jobs in the middle of a school year. Elkin High School offered me an opportunity I couldn’t refuse. My first day felt very overwhelming. When lunch time rolled around, I saw Jay Collins in the hallway and asked where he ate lunch. He said he ate in his room, and I asked if I could join him. He invited me in. Thus began one of the best friendships in my lifetime.

            We ate lunch every day in his room. We talked about everything. There was no subject off limits. We talked about problems we were dealing with in every area of our lives. We talked about our backgrounds. We helped each other through some rough patches. We always laughed.

            If you saw the two of us walking down the hall together, you’d better look out: we were probably up to something. We kidnapped a colleague’s chair and left ransom notes. We turned another colleague’s desk 180 degrees and made sure everything was perfectly in place so the next day she wouldn’t notice and would bang her knees when she sat down. We didn’t do anything cruel, just fun stuff that kept everyone laughing.

            Jay and his wife live on a beautiful piece of land outside of Sparta. I don’t know of any place on earth where the peace of God is more tangible than sitting on their porch or walking along the stream that cuts through their property. A couple of years into our friendship he invited me up one summer day. You drive to the edge of nowhere, go another couple of miles and you are there. The trip up became an annual event that I looked forward to like Christmas day.

            My friendship with Jay grew to include his wife and their son. I ate many meals at their home filled with laughter. We also talked about deep personal issues and problems we faced. We shared the joys and sorrows of life. No topics seemed off limits. All topics were handled with love and concern for the best outcome for each other.

            One thing I will miss is the complete acceptance I felt. We never judged each other. We knew each other’s secrets and they were safe. We walked and talked with each other through difficult times, both past and present. We always listened to each other and offered love-filled advice. Our different political opinions never touched the friendship. We were always there for each other, no matter what the circumstance.

            When I sit and think about it, what I miss the most is just talking to my best friend. We got together when we could, but sometimes a year passed between visits. The conversation would pick right up as if we had eaten lunch together the day before. The conversation always flowed easily. It was filled with laughter. There was never a dull moment when we were together.

            After Jay retired, he took up woodturning and became quite good at it. I have a number of his pieces. The most special piece is the one he decided we would make together. He taught me some simple techniques and we worked on the piece until supper. A few days later it arrived in the mail, complete with our names and the date stamped into the bottom.

            It’s been a while since I last saw Jay. Parkinson’s stole him from us all too early in life. It is hard to find and make a good friend in life, but it is especially hard to give up your best friend. I can still hear his laugh. I can see the twinkle in his eye when we were up to something. I can feel the love that his family and I share. I remember his last words as I headed out the door to go home from Sparta, “Be careful going down the mountain. Be safe.”

            I want to encourage you to treasure your good friends. We are quickly approaching the holiday season. COVID has done so much to keep us apart; find a way to connect, not only with your family, but with your friends, too. Share a laugh, swap a few stories, and treasure each moment. Personally, I can’t wait to get to heaven and see Jay’s workshop, to hear him laugh, and to catch up on what’s been going on.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com